Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir sharply criticized the details of the emerging hostage deal with Hamas.
Smotrich said, "If, God forbid, the reports are true about the Prime Minister's willingness to withdraw as part of a hostage deal from areas conquered by our soldiers, this would be a betrayal of the soldiers and the families who sacrificed everything dear to them and a violation of the promise made to them."
"Withdrawing from areas repeatedly conquered with our soldiers' blood and allowing the enemy to enter, arm, and booby-trap them, and then sending our soldiers to conquer them again is an illogical and immoral slap in the face." Smotrich has canceled most of his scheduled meetings today and convened a series of consultations on the issue.
Minister Ben-Gvir warned that withdrawal would lead to more abductions. "As negotiations for reckless deals intensify, so does the motivation of Hamas terrorists to abduct more people, and last night it cost us the life of an IDF soldier who was killed during a kidnapping attempt".
He further called on the Prime Minister to order a decisive confrontation with Hamas, "Enough negotiating with a murderous terrorist organization and pursuing a deal that will revive and strengthen it. The lives of our soldiers and the residents of the south are more important than any normalization and economic agreements."
He demanded from Netanyahu, "Give the order to crush Hamas completely. We have no extra soldiers to lose in reckless deals!"
Families of the hostages stated: "The media reports about the deal and its implications do not give us peace. While our loved ones are in chains and cages of Hamas in tunnels deep underground, the Prime Minister and the negotiation team are discussing the reconstruction of the Strip with Qatar. Hamas senses that Israel is eager for a deal and is entrenching its positions. Where in the world is such a thing heard? Are we delusional? Has the State of Israel given up on defeating Hamas and returning the hostages?"
"Just yesterday Hamas terrorists tried to abduct a soldier. Yesterday. We are rushing to a partial deal that will endanger the hostages who will remain there, endanger the IDF soldiers, and endanger the residents of the south. The dangerous flexibility in negotiations will encourage future kidnappings and reflects the essence that Hamas will never release everyone."
"Instead of announcing the halt of all aid until the hostages are returned, they are talking about reconstructing the Strip. Instead of dealing with the defeat of Hamas, we are talking to them in Qatar. Instead of dealing with the return of all the hostages, we are fighting only for half. Prime Minister, you do not have a mandate to abandon the rest of the hostages!"